Book two of Lucy's Tale: A Trail of Blood
by Quaver Ava
Summary: A band of slavers sweeps through Mossflower to the west, stealing children from Redwall to the Guosim all while leaving a trail of blood behind...
1. An Old Friend

An Old Friend

_Through the pain she awoke to see the sins she had committed, and knew what she must do…_

_oO0Oo_

Tom Longfoot was an aging old hare in his fifties or so, but felt like he was fifteen years younger on that glorious spring day with its light breeze and the birds singing their melodies. He had spent most of his life as a Long Patrol hare, fighting for the peace of the lands. But now he had taken private leave and was on his way to Redwall for a much needed vacation. His wife and children were all on a patrol together and would be swinging by the abbey for a few weeks before they went back to Salamandstron, and what to their surprise would be waiting there but him! He had done this trick many times in the past and loved to see their delighted faces at seeing him again.

But as he put an extra spring in his step he didn't noticed the rock in his path, and being a bare footed at the time to help toughen the feet again after their time in boots during winter, he stepped on it and yelped out into the air a series of profanities that would make lord Oak shake his big striped head. The respectable officer lightly blushed as he thanked the Fates for not having any companions around to hear such a break in military conduct. But it did make him think of how if he were younger such a little rock would not have felt as painful as it did now… He was an in-shape specimen indeed, but age was still coming up on him.

The lone patroller sighed as he thought on a decision he would be discussing with his wife when her platoon came by, retirement; or at least something along those lines. It only seemed like yesterday he was a young fellow running through the halls of Salamandstron with his beloved. And now, he was a man with greying hair and slowly reaching his end… The depressing thought died off when he thought of the positive things retirement would bring. He could spend more time with the family, stay at Redwall on longer periods, train young leverets, and travel for the pleasure instead of blinkin' looking out for bad fellows. But the biggest reason would be to spend more time with his family while he was blessed to have them. Oh yes, that would be the best of it all, to have as much time with his loved ones as the Fates would allow.

And then he was taken out of his thoughts as a pillar of smoke drifted up above the trees ahead of him. From his quick calculations it wasn't far from the path. With some caution he continued on towards the dark cloud, keeping his ears peeled for any indications of vermin activity. And then the smell of burning flesh and fur drifted to his nose, prompting him to draw his saber and approach the pillar with a stealthy speed, now on full alert, ready for whatever awaited him.

Through the trees and the shrubs he stepped without a sound, years of experience turning him into but a spirit of the forest. He moved like a ghost, there one instant, gone the next. To the smoke the hare approached until the smell of a burning body, or bodies, was so strong he held even his breath as to not alert any vermin. But once he came to his destination what greeted him quickly cause him to go limb, all his alert and alarm falling away at the sight.

There, in a small clearing of the trees, was the unmistakable shape of a funeral fire with a large cross at one end. But it was the individual who sat on the other end of the clearing, with her arms resting on her knees and her head hanging limb between her legs. His heart beat increased as he slowly left the cover of the trees and walked around the fire to the young woman.

Light sobs escaped her as he came near, but slowed when he spotted a dangerous straight cane just under her feet. The young lady was of age and a vermin type. She was of the ancient fox tribes with her beautiful red fur and fluffy tail. He focused on the black fur that covered her forearms and hands, taking note of the many white speckles that resembled a starlit night sky. Her long hair hid her face but he had seen enough of her to know who this vixen was.

"Tava?" He voiced with caution, keeping a good distance from the young lady so as to not startle her into attacking him. Vermin type were very unpredictable at times of grieving, even the more peaceful kind could easily become extremely dangerous if put under such extreme emotional turmoil. There were many accounts of good vermin type turning on their woodland friends in desperate and desolate states. He took a cautious step backward as the vixen did not reply to him.

Having known the young lady sense she was but a child he then remembered that distance for her was of little concern. He had seen her turn stones and sticks into hurtling missiles with lethal force. The veteran licked his lips as he spotted the toned muscles of her upper arm lightly flex under her fur. He then figured he was already too far in her danger zone to worry. "Tava, it's me, Tom." He called again, loud and clear, to make sure she knew he was there and real.

The vixen looked up from her spot on the ground and into his eyes. He felt something fall in his stomach at the horrible pain in her amber. She answered the question that he was about to ask next. "I killed my momma Tom." Her broken voice rasped before she winced from physical pain. It then became apparent to him that she was injured in more ways than just the loss of her mother…

He shook his head as he approached her and kneeled down on one knee, smiling as it popped. He dared not say anything about her strange statement, praying that she was simply delusional on whatever tragedy that took place. With a cautious hand he tenderly touched her shoulder. His smile faltered as the girl shifted away. "Love, you've been hurt… I, I need to see."

The vixen took a long pause before she nodded her head in compliance. Tom held back a grimaced as she turned her back to him, showing many large splinters and red dried trails of blood. His hands lightly trembled when he gingerly began to untie the side knots of the woman's shirt, and slowly took it off to look at her wounds with a closer eye. It didn't take him long to figure that the wood used to belong to her violin, meaning she had to have been slammed against a tree with her instrument on her back, shattering it and some of its pieces lodging themselves into her. She was lucky to have only flesh wound-he corrected himself after he inspected her back ribs, many of them broken.

"Tava, I'll need to take off your wrapping to clean out these wounds." The hare spoke as he shouldered his traveling satchel off of his person. Before he was a captain he used to be the platoon field medic for many years, having taught him the importance of carrying a well packed kit for injury. He first retrieved a pair of scissors and cut away her breast wrappings, deeming the soft material unsalvageable. With her back completely exposed for him to see he tenderly ran over her rib cage, counting every broken bone.

As he fell into working on her she slowly began to talk, her voice but a whisper from all the broken ribs but every word striking deep into the hare's mind as she told her tale of darkness. "I've done horrible, horrible things Tom... I've done far more than kill my own mother and father… I've stolen children, betrayed friends, and killed mothers and husbands… I've brought demons to those who just wanted to be in peace. I stood aside and let them slaughter so many families… I had the chance to fight back, even though I would have died, I should have fought back… I shouldn't have let it get so far…

"There were parents who trusted me and loved me, accepted me, but I let them die. I killed so many by not killing _them_… I've taken so many children away and given them to _them_… I just thought… I thought that if I just did… Just did what _they_ said to do… Bring _them_ children… _They_ would let Momma… Let Lakka… and, Ella… go…" After these last few words the vixen stopped her whispers and looked out to the funeral fire she had made for her mother, glad that her old friend didn't have to see Irena's body. Light gasps of pain occasionally escaped her as he cleaned her wounds and began to feel around her broken ribs some more. She slowly turned her head and looked at him as he poured some water on top of a little white powder pile in a cooking pan. With a traveling spoon he mixed it up into a goo. "Tom," She voiced, having not heard or seen any of his reactions from her words. "I gave children of Redwall to slavers…"

The man paused in his stirring for just a second before he continued. No more words were spoken from the vixen as he pulled out a large roll of bandages and began to wrap them around her exposed chest and back. A pained rasping sound escaped her as he tightly wove it around, and around, and around her until her whole chest was firmly constricted. Pain kept her mind from running over all of the horrors that were now completely clear to her. She struggled to keep her eyes open and watched as the hare produced a flesh like tube from his pack. Knowing what was to come she slowly opened her mouth.

He turned to her and they locked eyes as he placed the tube into her maw and slowly slid it down her throat, it's coating keeping her gag reflex from reacting. And then he began to pour what was now a white goo down the tube and into her throat. Tears ran from her eyes as it exited from the tube and fell into her esophagus and sliding down to her stomach. Once the hare was satisfied with the amount of medicine he then poured a little bit of water to wash out the rest of the white goo and then extracted the tube from her mouth. The vixen then fell over and took in a painful but blissful breath from holding it for so long.

"You'll have to forgive me for not adding the sleeping agents into the crystal mix, but within a few hours your ribs will be mended enough for us to get going after these slavers of yours." Tava made a raspy noise before Tom shook his greying head and continued. "No me gal, talk and you'll damage that pretty voice of yours, wot.

"I'll track these nasty beasts of yours and you're going to tag along and bring back those you've sold away. I'll also need a full story than what you've given to me, because about everything I've heard right now is a whole lot of rotten gilly goble. The only thing I truly understood was a desperate young lady has been used to do horrible and terrible things, and that the Tava I knew has lost herself in it all." Tom then gently robbed the young thing's arm with a cross of pity and sympathy as he watched the pain grow in her eyes. The medicine was pure torture all around without the sleeping agent and he wouldn't even wish it on the most vile of villains. The vixen began to shake and he held her body in his arms before lowering her to the soft dirt below. "It'll pass soon enough once it's out of your stomach." He reassured as her eyes slowly rolled up to the back of her head.

However much he loved her tears did not come forth to his eyes at her now tortured state. She told him of such horrible deeds that even he could not look over as a friend. He was sure there was a lot more to this story than the pieces she had given him, but one thing was clear. Children had been hurt, lives had been lost, and his old friend had lost herself in it all. While she did not deserve such pain it was necessary if there was going to be any hope of saving the children she had given away in whatever delusional state that had taken her.

With a loving and gentle hand he rubbed her upper arm as her body lightly shook from the agony of the crystals being digested. Her head turned up to him and mouthed, 'I'm sorry…'

He weakly smiled at her as her eyes rolled back up into her head. "I know you are me gal, I know you are. That's why the Fates had us meet today, so we can save those you've done wrong." And Tom rubbed her arm some more…

oOoO0OoOo

**Edit: Not much editing in this chapter. It came out rather well the first time. Some minor details, but in all I think pretty decent quality. **

**Hey look who it is! Tom, and he's alive! Oh and a bit younger in this fic if you didn't notice. :P **

**But anyways I like how his reaction to her story came out. He's not one to just hate someone, but he's at the same time not going to cry with her being in the now painful state she's in. Quick author's note on what that stuff was! **

**Salamandstron Mending Crystals: One of many unique minerals found in the depths of the Salamandstron caverns that had been opened up after the year of the Shaking Earth. The Long Patrol discovered that it could be used to quickly mend bones if properly administered and was a Fate's send for those out on the battle field. However, many incidents came with crystallization in the sinuses from taking it by mouth, so they produced a tube like tool to get it just a little ways into the throat. A heavy sleeping agent was quickly found to be applied with it as well so to spare the victim agonizing torture and keep them from speaking. Many have theorized that the crystals scrape the inside of the throat raw, giving reason as to why the use of vocal cords during the first few hours of administering the medicine leads to permanent voice damage. **

**Was that quick? No, not really, neither was my decision on whether he should meet Tava or our band of heroes first… So I flipped a coin! Haha! XD **

**Thank you for reading and I hope you leave some reviews for they make really great Christmas Presents! (^.^)'()" **

**Quaver Ava**


	2. Tom's Friend

Tom's Friend

"…_to another place and time,  
Far from here,  
To where dreams come true,  
And wonders are hue." _

_oO0Oo_

Lucius lead the way as he tracked the trail the vixen and the children had left behind. There was a while they just followed faded footprints until they themselves seemed to vanish. Then he relied on his sense of direction and the tiny pieces here and there that showed a beast had recently been through the area. Finally after a while they spotted a pillar of smoke reaching up above the tree tops that was directly in the pathway of what they had found so far.

With haste the group blazed through the woods and onto the path, rushing down it with the tiniest bit of hope in them that Tava still had the children and she had foolishly just lit a fire… It was Zane who stopped them all when they came to the section of trail were they would have to break off and enter the wood once more. "Wait! 'Ow do weh know this ain't ah trap set up by _'er_? What about tha' cat? Arvin, Adasen? There's surely more vermint out there!" He reasoned, bringing them out of what could have been a drastic mistake, and they had only left Redwall a few hours prior!

Arvin pulled a normal steel sword form his side, Martin's blade strapped to his back in cloth, and addressed the whole group. "Alright, we're to spread out in two groups, me and Adasen will approach them directly as you three go around and see if you can get them from behind." He finished, looking at Marcia, Lucius, and Zane with his final statement. The Redwallers nodded in approval before breaking apart, one slowly approaching the smoke pillar while the other went around.

Through the woods the heroes traveled, their steps light with but just a rustle of leaves here and there. Arvin and Adasen slowly approached the source of the smoke as the other three ran a wide birth around it. Adasen was the first one to see the clearing and the funeral fire that was being held there. But what truly caught her eye was the lack of beasts… "Damnation!" She cursed, throwing all caution out as she pulled her sword and entered the clearing.

Arvin cursed as his mate rushed into the clearing and drew her sword as well. His eyes grew wide as a beast fell from the canopy above and landed behind the female. And in amazement he watched as Adasen whipped around with lighting speed and nearly cut the creature's tall ears off. The stranger was quicker though and made a sweeping motion with his long leg. She did a backflip away putting distance between her and the mysterious creature. After the two seconds of blurred motion the stranger stopped enough for his identity to be determined. "Captain Longfoot?" Arvin gasped.

The hare slowly came up and turned to the warrior squirrel. "Why Arvin, lovely to see you and Adasen out here. On another one of your lovely picnics with that charming Lucy gal, wot?" He asked as if he didn't nearly lose his head a second ago.

"Damnit Tom, what the hell are you doing out here?" Adasen cussed as she sheathed her steel sword.

Tom shook his head as his smile died away. "I'm afraid I've come across a funeral of an old friend" he explained gesturing to the still burning fire of Irena Starlit. Both squirrels now taking in the Guardian Cross of Fate and Forgiveness.

Adasen's composure deflated as she took in the long fire. "Oh…" was all that she said.

At this time Lucius, Marcia, and Zane came out of the woods from the other side with confusion apparent on their features. "Tom Longfoot? The bloody hell are ya doin' 'ere?" Zane questioned as he looked over the fire. "An' who's this 'ere?"

Tom gave the three newcomers a weak smile. "An old friend of mine. She was a charming young mother when I first met her and I haven't seen her in a couple of years. Irena was her name, perhaps the most beautiful woman you could have laid eyes on. I came in the middle of her funeral and found her daughter, another good friend I haven't seen in a long time, injured and beaten." The captain explained as he started to walk over to a certain spot and knelt down.

Marcia held concern as she approached the hare. "I'm so sorry to hear that Mr. Longfoot. W-what did her daughter say happened?"

Tom slowly shook his head. "Murdered, killed by slavers, her other two children taken away and her eldest left behind to Fate's whims. Poor gal had about every other of her back ribs broken. Ah had to give her Salamandstron Mending Crystals." And then the hare gave a deep sigh as he watched the Redwaller's concerned faces grow at the tragic tale. "I also had to hold back on adding the sleeping agent. You see she lost herself and made some tragic decisions that have lead up to this moment, and I needed to have her travel ready as soon as possible so we could hunt down these slavers that have used her in her desperate state."

Zane walked towards the aging man. "Hare, ya're startin' to make gilly goble sense 'ere. Who is this girl and were she at?" He demanded, his brows forward. If it was one thing he did not need right now, it was an old man and nonsensical roundabout talk.

"Zane," Tom said before taking his eyes over the rest of the Redwallers. "Everyone, I need you to understand that vermin beasts are very different from you and I." He ignored the whispers between the others as he continued, not allowing them pause to interrupt him. "Vermin are psychologically more impulsive and wild like. Many good vermin have been recorded to have turned on their woodlander and Long Patrol friends and allies during times of great stress and grieving. It is because of this, that many vermin hordes have come to pass as the warlord would use the vermin's families as hostage in order to make the most capable members work for him or her without question. They're easily manipulated. It's just something that's in their nature as where you and I could try and look for other solutions in such a problem. There are exceptions, there have always been exceptions, but most vermin are more fragile than you would believe."

"Are you saying that your friend was a vermin and she's done something?" Lucius asked as he was trying to figure out the captain's words. Where his friends, Adasen and Zane, were growing frustrated with the old man's long words, he knew the hare was simply leading up to something important. Something he was starting to have a suspicion for but prayed it wasn't so…

"I'm saying my friend has done many terrible things that she would have never done in her right mind and that it will be hard for you to understand. What I'm saying is her mother, and two younger siblings, were held hostage against her, and she was used as a tool, in her desperate state, to bring a band of slavers children." Tom could see the suspicion on their faces rapidly grow as he continued. "But now she's learned that there's no reasoning with evil as it has cost her, her mother. Now we're going to chase down the slavers that have taken so much away and I pray to the Fate we'll be able to save those who still can be saved."

Marcia slowly blinked as she was the first one to figure it out. Her voice was calm and her composure reserved as she addressed the hare. "Mr. Longfoot, is your friend a vixen by the name of Tavarna Starlit?"

Tom gave the woman a weak smiled before he grabbed at the ground in front of him and snapped back a dirt camouflage blanket. There, in a little dug out hole was the form of Tava.

"I'll kill her!" Zane howled as he unsheathed his sword and charged towards the hare and the lying vixen. Tava made a frighten rasping noise as she jumped from her hole and hid behind Tom while he stood up and drew his patrol saber to protect the vixen. But the hedgehog made little ground as Adasen of all of the ones there appeared in front of the larger man, her hands moving like lighting as she hit him in several key locations. She then took a step back and everyone watched as Zane slowly dropped to his knees, his sword falling from his grasp onto the ground next to him. He was speechless as his friend turned her back on him and looked at the cowering fox behind Tom.

"Tava," Adasen's voice was dangerously calm, almost sweet… "Where are they taking Lucy and the others?" the mother asked as she took a few steps towards the two.

"Toh theh Casstle ohf Fahte." was the vixen's raspy reply…

oOoO0OoOo

**Edit: Again, not very much editing down, a few words here or there, but nothing even remotely major. The end, however, is a bit rushed, but I'm afraid to try and lengthen… :/ **

**This was a fun chapter to write because it kinda built on the world of Redwall. Here's a lovely reason as to why most vermin are evil, by simply being used. Where woodlanders are more likely to think of ways to try and get around such things vermin are more susceptible to being used. There are exceptions like Tom said, but those are the few, where most are more fragile than they appear. It also kinda gives a good reason as to why they're not outwardly targeted as slaves most of the times, because they're mentally held to doing what the true villains want done and if they don't… Well, you get the idea. **

**Till next time! **

**Quaver**


	3. The Slavers

The Slavers

Tava was in two places at once as she let her legs carry her along with the others presence to guide her. The single moment of her mother dyeing repeated over and over in her mind as she remembered each and every detail down to the fine red mist of blood. Then how the other vixen's body slowly fell to the ground in a limb, and dead, heap… a second after that her mother was standing again, hugging her, loving her, taking her knives, dying, hugging, dying, hugging, dying…

Tom looked over to the vixen, seeing the very same expression on her features as many returning hares from the field. "Tava me gal, it's been long enough. You can talk now." He admitted, smiling weakly as the vixen turned her eyes to him, slowly coming out of her distant gaze.

"I don't feel like talking…" she stated, looking back ahead of them to what seemed like an endless expanse of woods in front of them. She mildly thought on how the only noise the group made was of their feet treading over the dead leaves on the ground and the air they breathed. She expected to go back into such a state of senselessness and her own internal thoughts, but she found that such a thing would not be permitted now that she could talk…

"Ah wanna know about these damn slavers ya're working with, bitch." Zane questioned as he appeared on the other side of the vixen.

"I-I'm not with them…" She meekly denied. "But I do know a lot about them…"

"Start talking then!" The large man said, his spines prickling on end.

"Well… What do you want to know? They're evil, they're slavers, they've got extraordinary powers on their side. Where should I even begin?" She asked, her tone with little emotion in it as her mother died again behind her eyes. "They're murders…"

Zane narrowed his eyes at her last statement. "Ah would say the same for ya bitch, but let's start wit' their names." He suggested, almost smiling at the wounded look that flashed through her eyes, almost.

"Alright…" Tava agreed as she thought about who to explain first. Gray being the most logical choice to pick from she went with him. "Well, their leader is a big fox man by the name of Gray Fletcher. He's… Strong, very strong, and has a talent for charm. He's also got a talent with fighting and I think because of that is why he's the leader of the slave band. Then there's Vo-."

"The cat, I don't care anything else but about that cat." Adasen interrupted as she appeared on the other side of Zane. "That cat had powers I ain't ever dreamed of. He took on me and Arvin like we were nothing. I could care less if he's nothing but a lackey, I want to know what and where that demon came from." She finished, her eyes burning deep into Tava's ambers, demanding answers then.

The vixen blinked before nodding. The cat was perhaps the most dangerous of all, beside maybe the hare… Which she would have to question Tom about herself once she was done… "He's from the Fate Eyes, seers with the means to bring about fates. As for his powers, I can't say how or where he's gotten them from. Perhaps it's because he's a Fate Eyed cat. Whatever you saw him do I can promise there are far more things he's capable of." The vixen then gave a deep sigh as she struggled for a proper answer. "He's far from being a god, for I've seen him bleed, but he is practically invincible in my eyes. There's no telling what goes through his mind as his only true goal is to bring about the fate he wants. It makes almost little sense, but he's one of two of the slavers that I truly can't figure completely. All that's important in my opinion is that if he's there, it'll be impossible to win."

"Well that's a lovely thought, wot." Tom cheerfully remarked sarcastically. He shrugged when she looked over at him questioningly. "But I must know, what's the name of this hell cat? The last time I knew Adasen and Arvin were perhaps the two most bloody capable bodies at Redwall when it came to a fight."

Tava shook her head as she simply replied, "I don't honestly know, Tom."

"So he just goes by 'cat?'" voiced Marcia from behind the little line of conversing beasts.

"Yes, that's exactly what he goes by… Wait, wait, no, I do remember that Gray has referred to him as Ironclaw on occasions. The fox likes to call those he doesn't like by their last names, including me." Tava explained, snapping her fingers out of habit at remembering such a fine detail. A small and faint smile stayed on her features as she looked at her speckled hand… Memories drifted through her mind of a happier time where she would make such a gesture with friends and family, snapping when she finally understood something her mother had been trying to teach her, like reading… The picture of a vixen falling to the ground flashed in front of her eyes once again. Then her mind drifted to another beast, the one who enjoyed erasing faces from the world. "There is a slaver that is perhaps just as dangerous, if not more so, than the cat. He's a sadistic psychopath who finds extreme joy in the pain of others. Where he doesn't have supernatural powers he makes up in skill of every kind. Give him a blade and he can out throw me, give him a sword and I bet he'll match your Martin the Warrior. Let him get close to you, and you're as good as dead."

Tava then turned to Tom with a curious spark in her eyes. "His name is Vodge Bobtail and he claims to be a lieutenant of the Long Patrol."

Once the name was out of Tava's mouth Tom froze, causing everyone to stop and turn to him. "Blood and vinegar, _he's _apart of all this?!"

oOoO0OoOo

**Edit: Well, I did a little more editing here, but still just minor details with words and such. However, I did throw in a sentence to connect the thoughts in that last big paragraph! :D **

**Not much to say right now, Tava gets to talk and tells the group about the slavers and who they are. Sorry Ferret, Codger wasn't in there, but I'll get to him soon enough. :) **


	4. Vodge's Tale

Vodge's Tale

_Through the darkness he was born.  
From the twisted and evil,  
His body had come to form.  
Through the darkness his cry echoed,  
For all to hear…_

_oO0Oo_

Tom swept his eyes over the group, taking in their odd looks of curiosity and confusion. "Vodge was a lieutenant of the Long Patrol, yes." He admitted, making sure to continue walking as he fell into the tale. "He used to be the best fighter we had in the whole mountain." The hare gave a shake of his head. "The thing had a talent for about everything he put his mind to, academics, leading drills, but most importantly fighting. I suspect he was always broken, tittering on edge of sanity throughout his youth. It was just…"

"Tom, if his story isn't something you want to tell, you don't have to. I can see that he was something bad." Tava spoke, concerned for her old friend as he now rubbed at his forehead.

The hare then brought the hand up through his neatly cut grey hair and around one of his long ears before shaking his head. "No Tava, if Vodge is a part of this, you all, especially you, need to understand just what sort of manner of vermin we're dealing with." He pushed, giving the vixen a hard look for just a second as if to ask if she had seriously put children in the hands of the hare. He regretted it a second later as her eyes drifted away, pained by his accusing stare. But he needed to explain now while it was still fresh on his mind… "Just give me a second to organize my thoughts…" He sighed, figuring he'd start before the hare was a villain. "Sometimes the most vilest of monsters do not come from distant lands but are born, created through a cruel Fate, at home. As I said before, he was most likely born broken, but he hid it well for many years through a guise of perfection…" Many around him gave him a confused look before he continued. "Before we knew what he was, he was a bright and talented cadet with all the makings of a great officer. Perhaps it was because he was so perfect in the beginning that we never suspected him of all hares to turn like he did so. Bloody hell, even I was taken by his guise when I first saw him at first! I was out overlooking the cadets training one day when he came to my attention…"

_Tom looked out over the training field with a smile on his features. "I say, these ripes are just spiffen energetic! Look at those two gals go at each other. She's something pretty but if she continues on like that the other might just land a good walloper on her doe eyes." _

_One of Tom's old friends pointed at the other young gal that was in an intense battle with the former. "Can't say much for that other young lady, both her eyes are 'bout black and bruised as they can properly get without hindering her." _

"_Blood and vinegar Tom, look over at that young man? Is he taking on _four _cadets?" Anna, Tom's wonderful wife, exclaimed as she pointed at a blur of a cadet. _

_He gave a sharp whistle as he watched the young fellow grab one of the training spears, yanked it from its owner's hands, whipped around smacked a young lady across the chest hard enough to knock her backwards, before doing a jump and kick in the air to dispatch of the other two cadets who had charged at him. Then when he landed back onto his feet he gave two sharp jabs to the cadet that was deemed disarmed, pushing the poor thing down to the ground as well. The officers waited and looked intently at the single hare standing and were pleased when he helped up his four fallen opponents. _

"_Well, he's certainly somethin', who is that young fellow?" Remarked Tom to his friend. _

_The other hare gave a hearty laugh at Tom's ignorance. "That there is Cadet Vodge Bobtail, the very son of Colonel Bobtail. He's top notch material in hand to hand combat, weaponry, and extraordinary scores on all academic tests. Prime officer material, if not a bit rough around the edges when it comes to combat courtesy, wot." _

"_I say, that poor gal from the way she's rubbing at herself seemed like she's gonna have some bruises." Remarked Anna as she lightly cringed at the place where the female cadet had been hit hard. But she was quickly satisfied to see Vodge go to the other cadet and lead her away to the stands where she could get something for herself… _

"Thing had a good bit of charm back then I tell you. The girl turned out to be named Viola and they started courting after that… Strange way of meeting someone, but they were something real special. It was only a tragedy when Colonel Bobtail died from sickness. He at the time most likely would have fallen into a deep depression if it wasn't for the young gal by his side. Continued to get some pretty high scores in just about everything…" Tom stopped talking for a moment as he thought about when the cadet turned bad. He finally figured the time and related it to Tava. "Tava, you remember when you and your folks came by Salamandstron years ago?" he said, turning to her.

Marcia gave Tava an odd look, forgetting just for a moment she was supposed to be angry at the vixen. "You were at Salamandstron?" She asked, a light laugh in her throat at the thought of a fox in a mountain filled with hare people. The two species weren't exactly a complimenting pair, what with ancient history and old predatorily habits that were taught in school…

Tava nodded her head at the memory. "Yes, I remember, had my fourteenth birthday that day…" She said, slowly falling into a mutter as the happy memories collided with the picture of her mother and father losing their lives…

Tom saw the distant gaze returning in his friend's eyes and pushed on with the story. "Well if you remember correctly you faced a charming young lady by the name of Hazel. Spiffen duel you two had, but sadly that was one of her last as well."

Tava turned to the hare with a shocked face. "What, Hazel was real nice, what happened to her?!"

Tom shook his head as a sad air took ahold of him. "Well you see, for whatever reasons that might or might not coincide with your visit, he started changing after you left... During drills he lost his charm, Viola was sent away on patrol, and he was welcomed into the ranks of the officers. But over time as his command kept him in training for a special position in the Long Patrol he slowly turned different. Finally, after a good year, children started disappearing…" Horror washed through the group then at the possibilities of what Tom was about to say next. "After a while, Hazel, who is also Vodge's sister, became very suspicious of him and started keeping a close eye on her brother to the point others began to notice as well… Then she went missing herself."

Tava's eyes softened as she thought of the hare maid that had dueled with her. They did not use knives or spears, but bow and violin strings. Both tried to out beat each other in a battle of music, their songs having collided together into a fantastic melody that had the whole mess of Salamandstron cheering and clapping them on. And then to hear that the other girl very possibly could have been ki-, "Did he kill her for snooping?" She dared asked, hoping the answer was no…

Tom looked at Tava with a grim expression as he shook his greying head. He let her think of that blissful fate for the maid just a moment before he continued with the tale… "Tava, death would have been a Fatesend for Hazel…" The vixen's ears perked up as he fell into the day that brought about the end of so many children disappearing… "You see, Vodge is sadistic and finds extreme pleasure in other's pain. It was three days that Hazel had been missing and he was as happy as can be until lord Oak decided to investigate him. Bloody hell, what they found was something right out of a vermin horror story. The children were all dead… And his sister was tied up, naked, and barely breathing. Oak went into a blood wrath and stormed through the mountain searching for Vodge, but the hare had caught wind of our investigation and gave us all the slip…"

"That's just horrible." Marcia whispered a hand to her thin otter lips in horror. She could not imagine what sort of terrible things that he had done. However, her mate held experience with such terrible creatures.

Lucius spoke next, surprising everyone around him at his words. "You said naked… What exactly does that imply he did to her?" He voiced, staring at the hare with a hard look.

Tom's grim expression darkened as he stared back at the otter. He knew the fellow had a twisted childhood that dealt with some of the most horrible of ver-no-monsters. With a nod he confirmed the otter's foreboding. "Hazel had a child soon after. We gave her the option to abort with special minerals, but she decided to go through. The girl was never the same but she kept her heart…" The captain then shook his head, trying to rid it of the details that revolved around a now living boy.

Adasen gave a very odd and twisted look at this finale detail of the monster hare, trying hard not to let it drift to her mate. "That's…" She trailed off then, a storm of thoughts and ancient feelings shifting deep in her inner body. But after a few more seconds of silence amongst the group something clicked in her mind. "W-wait, the children, you said the children were dead." New revulsion rushed to her brown eyes as she looked at Tom. Lucy was now with this evil man…

Tom set his jaw then. It was one thing to tell the group that Vodge had done something so horrid to his own sister. But it was another to reveal just how twisted the demon was.

Where the hare gave a hardened face to keep the words from slipping from his maw it was his old friend that revealed the truth. "You'll be amazed at the things you'll do to try and get someone you love away from a cannibal." Tava ominously muttered as she looked off into the distance of the woods with the image of Vodge Bobtail licking her brother's blood off the tip of his blade, an expression of pure hunger in his dark evil eyes…

oOoO0OoOo

**Edit…? XD **

**Alright I didn't like the original chapter for this anymore, made Vodge over powered. So now I did quite a bit of downsizing for this piece, a whole page of writing, when I rewrote it. This still gets across just how evil and devilish he is, but at the same time takes away a lot of the needless details that Tom really wouldn't be sharing that much. A story like this would be told differently than some personal account or epic tale. The only thing that's the same here is that single flash back.**

**I hope this is better than the original and the quality was enjoyable. With book two I'm aiming for better quality… Ugh, the next few chapters are going to be a pain to fix. V.V; **

**Quaver**


	5. Siva's Revelation

Siva's Revelation

Vodge skipped with glee throughout the encampment as the little slaves' eyes began to flutter open to the sunny day that was going to be their nightmare. He hopped in front of a rat girl who had been in the batch that the stupid vixen had given them. "Wake up ya sleepy peepy heads!" He loudly exclaimed, poking the girl as she started rubbing at her eye ever so cutely.

"Wh-wha?" She asked, opening her eyes before jumping away at the distance the hare was from her face. "Who the hell are you!"

"Lieutenant Vodge Bobtail, that be me, oh yes, that is I!" The hare laughed as he took out his knife and poked her.

"H-hey, what's that for?!" The girl cried as she rubbed at the little spot where he pricked her. The hare simply laughed before jumping and dancing away, to greet other little children back into the world. It was then that she took in everything around her, from the many chained children to the roaming vermin. The memory of Tava rushed back into her mind then and the girl held her head in her arms as she took in what was happening.

A moan came from her right, prompting her to turn her head and look at its owner. To her amazement it was Zach of all people. And then she took in all the other Redwall children chained in a line. Her heart jumping into her throat the girl crawled to her friend and shook him awake. "Zach, Zach, wake up, something happened, something bad!" She whispered, fear eminent in her changing voice.

He opened a single eye, looking at nothing but her. "Siva, did ya burn somethin' else down?" He lightly growled, mistaking her fear and words for something far too lighthearted.

"Ya wanna know what, I just had a crazy hare wake me up! So WAKE-UP!" Siva yelled as she grabbed her friend's shoulders and violently shook him, the hedgehog boy dropping some spines.

With Siva's loud outburst many other heads started to lift themselves from their resting spot on the cold hard ground, groggily blinking away their drug induced slumber. Other slaves and slavers who had been awake for a while turned to look at the maid, but she didn't care as she watched Zach take in his surroundings. On the far end of their chain Siva then spotted her brother, Ivan. The sudden urge to be by his side and protect him jumped into her, making the girl get up and try to walk over. Her restraints, however, kept her from doing such a task. "Ivan!" Siva called, not caring at her loud volume.

It soon became apparent that her raucous noise was not acceptable. A lean looking ferret rushed on over to the maid and threw a hand over her mouth. "Hey, hey , quiet down befor-OUCH!" He howled as Siva bit her teeth deep into his paw, snarling as he fell away, whimpering, "Why'd ye go and do that? I was jus' tryin' to help ya." He sniffed before getting ready to scamper off.

"Oy, Codger, making friends with the slaves again?" laughed a deep and strong sounding voice. Siva looked up as she licked the ferret's blood from her teeth, which was surprisingly pleasing to her, at a large fox man. He wore typical vermin traveling wear and a saber on his side, with what looked to be some other kind of thing also strapped to his waist. If it was anyone of the many vermin that were roaming about she would have to say this was the tallest, the strongest, and most meanest of them all, obviously making him the leader and bad guy. A light snarl adorned her thin lips at the look he gave her, as if she was nothing but a thing to use. "And rat, I'd head Codger here and staying quiet, 'cause this ain't Redwall no more." He advised, turning his back on the slave.

Siva clinched her fists as anger sprang throughout her being. "What did you just call me you over sized mongrel?!"

The large man turned again and looked down at her with a raised eyebrow. He quickly deemed her to be one of those many confused children who didn't know their own species. "Little rat, I suggest you talk to me with respect, for I am the one who makes things happen here. Talk to me again, and I will give you to Vodge." His smile grew as he watched her arms begin to shake even more. A quick idea jumped to his mind and he turned to the ferret who was trying very hard to sneak away from him. "Codger, bring over that missie of a gal, Cheesekiss!"

Zach lightly squeezed Siva's thick tail, keeping her back from trying to start a fight with the man twice her size. As for Siva herself, she watched with anger while the ferret obeyed and went over to another chain of children, this time with vermin. And then when she saw the girl that was taken from the chains and began to be brought over, her heart began to plummet.

The tall fox turned to Siva again and gave her a charming smile. "This slave is Cheesekiss, and she's a rat maid. Cheesekiss, is this girl a rat like you?" He asked as he spotted her appear out of the corner of his eye. The beaten and ragged child simply nodded her head. "Slave, are you a rat?" The slaver asked, a small frown adorning his features as she simply blinked at Cheesekiss, silent. Pulling a knife from his ankle he walked over to the beaten child, a weak little squeak escaping her when he lowered himself to her level and started to cut away at her dress.

"Hey, wha' are ya doin' that for!?" Siva demanded in alarm as the other girl started to silently whimper.

The man looked over his shoulder as he stopped a quarter of the way up her dress. "Obviously you need to be education on what a female rat looks like. But I'll ask again for her sakes, are you a rat?"

Siva's chin trembled as she felt her insides squirm. "T-that's just sick!" She yelled. The man then started to cut up the other girl's dress some more. Siva could now see the girl's upper thigh beginning to show. "I'm a rat, by Martin, I'm a damned rat! Now stop, just stop it, you're making her cry." Siva finished as she bit at the inside of her cheeks, tears of her own on the verge of spilling forth at what was happening.

The man smiled as he stood up and gestured for the ferret to take the whimpering child away. "Now that's done, I think some introductions are in order-."

"I don't care one bit of who you are…" Siva snarled, interrupting the man.

He cocked his head to the side in a curious manner before walking to the feisty maid, and sitting down in front of her. She snarled as he quickly put a blade up to her throat. With his other hand he reached out and gently caressed her cheek, playing with a strand of thick black hair. "Darlin', my name is Gray. You'll care very much who I am when you see the dark forest." And then Gray slid the blade across her throat…

Siva yelped as she fell away, clutching at her neck as the fox above her laughed up into the air. Blood lightly welled up from the small cut he had inflicted onto her throat, but it was enough for her to get the rush of fear running through her veins.

With wide eyes she watched as Gray then stood back up and turned to take in the rest of the encampment. "Alright you loud mouth brats and worthless vermints, move them tails of yours, now!" He yelled, grinning to himself as they all began to stand up and move…

oOoO0OoOo

**Edit: Back to fixing just a few words here or there. :)**

**I like the name Cheesekiss, it's sorta a classical vermin name and pretty too. Oh and look Ferret, it's Codger! **


	6. Fist and Fire

Fist and Fire

_Let's go at each other,  
For the next go round,  
Blood and sweat,  
Fist and fire,  
We'll fight to the end,  
'Till death do we part!_

_oO0Oo_

Gray walked over to the other side of the camp shaking those who had slept through the most recent bit of drama that had taken place awake. He smiled as the completely shell shocked look in the rat child's eyes came back to him. Knowing children with her kind of attitude she would have it eat her inside slowly away until she snapped… Or simply accept it, but he was hoping for the former, it'd keep things more interesting…

Speaking of interesting things he came upon a unique sight as he passed many trees and other slave lines. There curled up in the wild cat's lap was the fox child Ella, an adorable thing that Gray had been looking forward to seeing break. But the cat kept the child all to himself most of the times, letting her spend some time with her brother and mother on occasions. Well, she wasn't going to be doing much of that with the latter, the fox thought with a sadistic internal snicker. "Cat, we're moving out!" Gray barked, his voice booming throughout the trees and around the whole encampment. To his pleasure the little child finally woke up, blinking ever sweetly.

The cat stared up at him with his uneven and unnerving pair of eyes in turn. "My fate deems that we stay here. It would make many things less complicated when the future comes to the present." The cat spoke as he helped the little slave out of his lap. She rubbed at her eyes some more, the restraints of shackles and chains absent from her person…

Gray's pupils grew twice their size in sudden anger as he leapt forward and snatched the child up by her wrist. She cried out in shock but quickly became limp in terror as he shook her. "Ironclaw, is this a part of your grand fate's desire?!" He bellowed, shaking the child again, a whimper emanating from her little throat at the sudden roughness. But she dared not fight back or move under threat of him hurting her.

A smile almost spread across the fox's features at the frown that crossed the cat's in that moment. "Fletcher, I highly recommend you gently let go of the child. She is held by her brother's capture and will know no escape." The cat said trying to stay calm, but all composure broke when Gray threw Ella to the side. A feral snarl came forth as she fell to the ground, landing oddly on her wrist and crying out before curling up in a little ball. "Gray!" He yelled stepping forward, his fangs showing as a cracking sound began to emanate throughout the air. Many slaves and slavers quickly began to gather around at the escalating scene.

"Sichi…" The fox growled the cat's name back, smirking when he watched something behind the cat's red eye move. "…No weapons." The man finished, taking off his holder for his saber and spark launcher and throwing it aside. He wanted to do this for the longest of times.

"Very well…" The cat then threw off his cloak and let the wind take it away. The sun shined down onto the cat's armored form and the mechanical apparatus that clung to the cat's hands and back, trails of what looked to be some kind of twine connecting the two. The cat then reached over his shoulder and pressed a button on the flat device that clung to his back, six little arms that had hanged onto his chest armor detached themselves and the two hand devices clicked off of his hands, the wires then pulling on them, bringing the apparatuses to fit snuggly into the back device. The cat tossed the strange machine aside to land on his cloak. Another growl escaped him as the fox pointed at his waist, the two prong swords still hanging limply there. The cat unbuckled his holder and threw it aside onto the device and cloak as well.

And then it began.

"Rraahh!" Gray roared, lunging forward and tackling the smaller man to the ground. He quickly landed three consecutive blows over the cat's face before the creature kicked him up into the air, ethereal fire coming from the cat's feet, Gray's cloths burning with the blue flames. Gray shook them off and charged again, side stepping an arc of fire and landing another blow over the cat's face, right across his red eye. He stood back and smiled when the cat stumbled away, clutching the eye as blood welled up around his finger, his eye socket having cut the skin and fur. Fateeyed magic didn't make the holder invincible. Recovering from the shock and blow the smaller man charged Gray then, his fangs bared as flames incased his fists.

The fox stepped aside again, shoving the other man forward as the cat passed him, but yelped out as the feline planted a foot into the ground and spun around with a round house kick flying through the air and landing onto his ribs. He howled as he felt one or two bones crack before grabbing the other man's leg and lifting him up from the ground, spinning him around and throwing the cat into a tree.

The cat landed both feet onto the thick trunk and kicked off, fire bursting out from his feet once again as he jumped over the fox's head and landed back onto the ground. The two charged at each other one more time, fist and fire colliding as they landed blow after blow, with an ever present dance of side stepping and dodging taking place.

Slavers and slave chains came from all around the encampment to watch what had been building before any of them came to know the fox and cat. Vodge and many other slavers began to shout Gray's name as many more, slavers and slaves alike, watched with anticipation as they hoped, wished, begged the fates for the cat to best the fox man that had brought so much pain and misery to all. But as the battle continued it soon became apparent the two were evenly matched and neither was willing to back down. To the outsider eye the cat was but a blur of grey fur and sapphire flames. But for Gray, he was a hulking form that matched the cat's speed with strength by taking the other man's physical blows and shaking off his fire as if it were nothing before it could burn. They collided again, avoided, hit, dodged, striked, and sidestepped each other over and over. And then _he_ won…

The cat stepped forward as he landed a blow onto the man's chest, and another, and another, taking a step with each and every flaming fist as the fox backed up from the force and power of the feline's strikes. After the fourth the cat then jumped up into the air and kicked the fox with another round house over the head. Gray fell to the ground in a heap, defeated. But the cat was not done yet as a ball of blue flames formed in his opened hand. Raising it into the air the downed fox turned and looked up into his sapphire eyes.

Vodge then took that moment to rush forward between his defeated friend and the cat, grabbed the feline's arm with the fire building up in the cat's hand, and used his foot as a pivot, before yanking the cat, spinning around and throwing him to a tree, all in less than a split moment. The fire exploded out from the cat's hand and threw the hare the opposite direction to roll in a heap over the hard dirt. A silence then fell over all as many eyes watched the hare and cat rise again, waiting to see if they would charge at each other and continue the battle. What came from the hare's mouth next shocked many. "That's enough! You've made your bloody point." He said with a commanding voice few heard.

The cat growled again before turning away. He said not a word as he limped over to his weapons and cloak. Hs body was beaten, it was hurt, but he was better for tear and wear, his armor having saved him from many broken bones. Vodge watched the felines for just another moment before rushing over to the defeated form of Gray and helped the larger man up. He gave the hare an appreciative nod before letting the vermin help him to his feet. Vodge then looked around to all the slaves and slavers as they watched the fox gasp and wince in pain. "The bloody hell are you lot looking at? Get you bally fur ridden hides moving, now wot!"

And they moved…

oOoO0OoOo

**Edit: Well I changed a few words and stuff. I'm sure you'll find a lot of awkward sentences, but I touched it up for now. :) **

**You know it's bad when Vodge is the one to break up a fight, haha! :D **

**In this book there will be quite a bit of action. I hoped yall enjoyed this small fight scene and tell me what and how I can improve it. I'm not too good with fighting and stuff, so this story will hopefully help me learn. That way I don't struggle too much when I get around to Dark Twilight… XD **

**Quaver**


	7. Quave Whitefur

Quave Whitefur

Quave walked through the woods of Mossflower with a tune in his whistle and a woodpigeon slung over his shoulder. Its mate cawed and screeched above but he didn't mind as he continued to walk forward through the wood, his blades an insurance that the male bird would not attack. "You might as well find yourself a new lady bird, because this one's gonna be dinner!" the white furred fox laughed as the woodpigeon above made angry cooing noises.

"I peck yee eyes out white worm, I peck yee eyes out!" Cawed the pigeon as Quave walked up a hill. Matter of fact, is was the last hill till his home. A warm feeling spread throughout him at the thought of all the happy little faces when he would return with their dinner. and if the male birdie kept pasturing him... The fox kept himself from laughing at the bird's fate.

"You know, I should have went for you instead of her. But she was pretty persistent about yall's eggs. Really, all I wanted was to trade, ain't my fault she attacked me." Quave called back up to the infuriated fowl flying above his head. Just a little more and he'd have two pigeons…

"I peck yee eyes out white worm, I peck yee eyes out!" The stupid bird cawed again for the hundredth time, but dared not come close enough for the fox to get him. In all honesty Quave could easily get the bird from the distance they had between them, but he didn't feel like carrying two mouse sized bodies of feathers. He now came to the peak of the hill and raised his free hand, waving down a series of signals to the concealed building at the button of the hill. A little light flashed back up to him and he smiled.

"Hey bird, what's your favorite food?" The fox called up, a laugh under his voice.

"I peck yee eyes out white worm, I peck yee eyes out!" The bird said for the hundred and one time now. It was sadly the last words it would ever coo before he died. An arrow flew up from the bottom of the hidden building and striked the bird down to the ground. Quave shook his head as he walked over to the downed, and annoying, creature.

"Really bird, I was hoping you'd be thinking about something pleasant before you got yourself killed. Oh well, let's get you rolling down the hill shall we?" The man laughed as he dragged the dead birdie over to the edge of the hill and kicked him down, watching as the body tumbled away. He then took the annoying male's mate and kicked her down the hill as well before adjusting his bag full of eggs and carefully walking down the steep slope.

oO0Oo

Quave walked up to the school with a smile on his features. Children of all verminy kind cheered at his grand return. He looked over to a couple of orphans as they were strapping the birds onto little sleds to take around back. Some others rushed out to him and threw themselves onto his legs. He laughed as he struggled to walk with two young kits on each foot. A pretty stoat maid stood in the door of the hidden school with a smile on her lovely features. "Hi there Quave, how was your hunt?" She asked, a light blush on her features.

The young man smiled at her as she blocked his passage into the school. "Well, I'd say it was pretty good, a sack full of eggs and two pigeons, that should be enough to fill every little acid bag here." He remarked, earning himself the tickling sound of laughter from the pretty thing in front of him. "Now, Oise what in the world are you standing there for?" He laughed knowingly as her fur bristled some more, her blushed increasing.

"I-I, uhm, n-nothing-I mean, I just wanted to greet you is all!" The girl stuttered nervously as he came up to her.

Not to Quave's surprise a pole with a mistletoe tide to it appeared over their heads. Osie's fur was standing on end as she looked like she was about to die from embarrassment. "Just how exactly did they get you to do this?" the young man asked the pretty maid who was a good two years younger than him.

The girl smiled at him shyly, not speaking a word. With a chuckled Quave leaned down to the young woman and gently placed a kiss onto her soft whiskers. She quickly hid her face away as many of the children around them made 'Aaahh,' sounds and others stuck their tongues out in disgust. "Quave, that's yucky!" Exclaimed one of the little girls, a tiny ferret kit, that was on his leg.

Osie gave a light giggle at the child. Quave gave a confident smirk only a young man of his age could give before he used one strong arm and lifted the stoat maid up by the small of her back. "Waaah!" She yelped before he landed another kiss onto her whispers, her heart beating rapidly with shock and excitement. The children gave approving cheers as he put the pretty maiden down to the ground. The ferret on his leg simply rolling her eyes at his audacious action.

And then the black shadow swooped over all of them, landing in a spot between the two slain pigeons and the couple. Silence fell over all of the children as they watched their Dean slowly step towards the two. "Kaaaww! White fur kissie pretty thing an' bring great dinner! Good, kaaww good!" The aged crow cawed as she flapped her large black wings approvingly. The many vermin children all around then cheered in excitement and delight.

Osie felt her heart beat with pure joy as Quave turned to her again and smiled down at her smaller frame. She felt a wave of daring take her then before she reached up and pulled the fox into another kiss , this one deep and passionate. Her eyes closed as he returned it with a caring tenderness that made her whole world melt away to where it was not but them.

oOoO0OoOo

**I guess this could be considered filler/fluff with all the cuteness of it, but it's a unique way of introducing Quave and his world into the mix. Notice that I tried not to explain very much and just let the details take yall along. I like that sort of thing the more I do it because it makes the reader wonder and think about what's this and that. So, what do yall think? Leave your comments, questions, and theories in the box bellow! (Don't forget to hit the post review button!) :D**

**Quaver **


	8. The Battle of Fire

The Battle of Fire

_Fight till the end,  
Feather and blood,  
Talon and fire,  
She'll sacrifice herself,  
For us all. _

_oO0Oo_

The cat looked down the sharp hill to the hidden building bellow. With everything else quiet he could barely make out the singing of many children while they ate their supper. An odd feeling spread throughout his being as he watched the aura around the concealed school swim with different hues of warm pinks and blues, joy and laughter jumping up with the occasional yellow and orange. He stood up then and looked behind him to the slavers that awaited his word. "There is an orphanage down below, ran by an elderly crow with few old enough for resistance."

Gray gave the cat a snarl before turning to the rest of the armed slavers. "Load your sparkers gentlemen, we're going to take it old fashion style in a good swooping of a raid!" He bellowed, earning himself a cheer from many of the vermin crew. It had been a long time sense any of them partook in a raid of such magnitude as this.

The cat turned to face the school again before he threw his hood over his head and pulled the two prong swords from his side. A cracking sound began to imitate through the air as the machine on his back whirred up for what was going to be an extensive use of its properties. Light then shined from the two apparatuses on his hands, traveling over to the pronged swords and filling in the space with white tendrils of cracking light that jumped between the prongs of each sword. He took a step forward, raised one sword above his head and lowered it towards the concealed building below. A bolt of lightning then jumped forth out from the pronged blade to the building below, cracking and spreading over what was a concealment shield.

The slavers then rushed forward with cries of war jumping from their throats as they charged down the hill to the now exposed school. Gray walked up beside the cat as he watched his fellow vermin run to what was sure to be a slaughter of those who tried to resist. "It's a shame Vodge isn't here, he'd have so much fun." The fox commented as they began to casually walk down the hill together. Screams could now be heard. "A bunch of helpless brats and some ripes that are barely of age, he'd have a field day."

The cat coolly smirked as he watched sapphire fire jump out from the building in a large arc, striking one poor slaver soul down to the ground, turning the rat into a ball of flames. "I wouldn't say they're completely helpless." He remarked as his machine whirred up again.

oO0Oo

Quave and Osie sat next to each other as they watched the third eldest student of Madam Sharpbeak instruct four little helpers to bring out the two cooked wood pigeons. Opie, Osie's twin brother, smiled at the two as they held hands under the table. Their relationship had been intimate for far longer than many thought, only recently did they show it enough for the younger orphans to pull their little 'prank.'

Osie giggled as she watched one of the youngest students of the school stumble out from the kitchens into the dining hall with a giant basket of little cakes piled high. He was of the few woodlander children that the Dean had taken in, a squirrel boy not but entering his fifth year of life. "Sander, can I help you there?" Osie asked, holding her hand to her whispers as she watched the little boy stumble, but keeping the basket above his head.

"Nah uh, I got 'is Osie!" The child declared cheerfully as he staggered and swayed from side to side, bringing the large basket to the long table that reached form one end of the room to the next.

The final piece of their meal came from the kitchens by none other than Madam Sharpbeak herself as she held a large basket of salad between her wings. The crow cawed as all the little children around her giggled while she waddled like an awkward hatchling to the head of the table. With expert dexterity the black bird used her wings to slide the salad onto the tabletop, cawing again as all of the little children clapped their hands excitedly. She quickly walked over to the head of the table and sat down in what was this season's nest. (All birds having made a new nest with each passing season.)

"Kkeeaaaww!" The Dean of their school shrieked, silencing the chattering children of many species. "Hatchlings eat leafy stuff, yes, then birdie!"

"And after that cake!" Exclaimed the newest addition to their orphanage, an eccentric rat child that had been raised by woodlanders for most of his life before running away, John was his name.

The Madam threw her wings out and shrieked once more. "Interrupting the Madam, no John hatchling, no keeaahh! Twice salad, half cake, next time no meal, not let happen again." The Dean lectured as she restrained herself from flapping her wings. With a sweeping gaze and calming her feathers the crow tucked her wings back to her side and looked up to the ceiling. All of the beasts children infront of her quickly looked up to the ceiling as well. Hanging up high was a crudely made Guardian Cross of Fate and Forgiveness, with a four pointed Star of Fates.

A prayer was not spoken as each there was taught that one did not talk to the fates unless they were blessed with the power of the seer. What they were taught every day and night through ritual was to stare at the cross, ask the spirits and guardians of the Dark Forest for forgiveness inside themselves of their evils, and express their wishes to the Star of Fates with all their will without speaking a word. The seconds slowly turned to minutes until a single sound broke the silence. Slowly and timidly heads one by one lowered to see their Dean beak first into a bowl of salad.

Many children struggled to hold back their laughter but a little weasel boy couldn't hold control himself and lightly giggled at the bird. The Madam snapped up and locked her eyes onto the offending thing as if she were a giant hawk locking onto prey. "Keeaww, no laughie at me, no!" She cawed, but did not flap her wings or ruffle her feathers at the now many giggling little things at her table. The crow gave them all a single look before going back to her salad of greens and seeds…

She raised her head a second later as a single beast in the crowd of tiny vermin stood up from her seat and began to sing. If a crow could smile, it would be there as Osie, the pretty maid thing, threw a spell over the many children with her enchanting voice and told the Madam's story.

"Try the patience of our Madam not,  
For she is our mother,  
Our Dean,  
Our teacher and protector,  
But most importantly,  
The fiercest of all flying things!"

The Dean felt pride well up in her chest when the pretty thing's love-thing stood up and take the second verse.

"A veteran of the Black Wing,  
The cruelest and evil of all armies.  
Turn the sky black they do,  
With armor and blade,  
They turn the ground slick with red they do."

Osie danced from her chair and twirled in the room as she captured the vermin children's attention with her beauty.

"But our Madam is kind and patient,  
For leave she did,  
To our woods filled with tragedy and horror.  
Split apart by a black and white line that blurs."

Quave took one of his crescent blades from his side and sliced off a chunk of meat from what was once a very annoying bird.

"In our wood,  
Family is split,  
Taken away,  
Driven away,  
Torn away,  
Parent and child severed forever."

Osie then stopped her spinning and raised her hands, signaling her fox friend to throw her the meat. He complied and she caught it a moment later, eating it in a flash. Then with a gentle paw she wiped at her mouth.

"But our Madam is kind and patient,  
For she took us in she did.  
Built us this grand nest,  
Of teaching and protection,  
Of love and kindness."

Quave helped his love-friend back into her seat with a smile on his features.

"We are her hatchlings, her children.  
We are her students, her pupils.  
Follow what she does,  
Do as she says,  
And love her for the sacrifice she gives."

Osie was ready to go into the final verse when _it _happened. Very much like the many times lighting struck trees and the school's lighting rod the room lit of with light and the air was filled with a cracking sound. All of the children screamed as they jumped from their seats and under the table for protection. The Madam shot up from her nest and into the air.

Osie watched as their mother and Dean flew to a window up high. "Is the school on fire, Madam?!" She called from below, her heart rapidly beating under her breast.

"Keeeaaaahhhwww!" The crow shrieked as she spotted two score vermin rushing down the side of their hill. And what on top of the hill but the unmistakable shape of a Fate Eyed cat with dual swords of lighting held in his hands. "Attack, attack, attack!" The Dean shrieked to her capable students, flying down in a dive.

Osie cried out as she ducked and turned, watching as her Madam lit aflame like a sapphire phoenix readying for battle. Metal armor and bladed feathers flew from the crow's nest to the bird, the aged creature hovering in the air as blue tendrils of fire brought them to her. And within seconds the crow was ready for war once more.

Quave's ears perked on end before he grabbed Osie and pulled her to the floor. Bangs rang out through the air and metal pierced through the school's wall and flew over their heads. His love sent him a terrified look as he reached down and picked one of his crescent blades, his albino eyes shifting to a sapphire. "Get your bow!" He yelled as children screamed and more bangs echoed through the air. He then jumped up and over the table, landing on the other side in a crouching position. Blue flames encased his hands and crescent blade before he threw it at the wall and rolled to another spot, grabbed another blade from his side, and prepared another burning crescent.

From the outside what came at the charging vermin was not a blade but an arc of fire that struck one rat directly in the chest. The blade went through and arced back to the school, returning to whatever source that had thrown it, but the fire stuck to the rat and turned the dead body into a smoldering crisp. The other vermin only paused for a moment before they shot another valley into the school. And then two more arcs of fire shot out from the building, but the slavers were ready this time and dived under the mystical blades.

Quave inside held up a hand of blue fire and caught his two crescents, holding onto them as he rushed to another spot. Out of the corner of his eye he could see Opie and Osie retrieving their bows and arrows, each arrow tipped with the same ethereal metal as his blades. Opie ran for the stares, rushing to the loft where they all slept, while his sister position herself at the door, readying herself for when they came through. All three looked up for just a second to see their Madam hovering in the air still, waiting for the slavers to come into her home.

And then a sapphire ball of flames broke through one of the upper windows and landed on top of the table. Everyone stared at it for just a moment before they jumped to the ground, the ball of flames exploding a second later. Fire now covered the walls and table, quickly reaching up to the ceiling. The children cried and whimpered as smoke filled the room. The Madam watched in horror as her home quickly enveloped itself into a sight of hell with fire covering the walls, rolling over the ceiling, and smoke suffocating her hatchlings. With a cry she had not given sense her time with the Black Wing the armored crowed shot through a window.

Outside the vermin laughed as they watched the school quickly catch fire. The cat and Gray had joined them a second ago, the cat throwing a condensed ball of ethereal flames through a high window. Between their spark launchers and the cat, the vermin felt confident they had these children easy, even if they were facing up against a possible Fate Eyed creature. But what came out of the school put fear back into them as what looked to be a sapphire phoenix flew through a window and dived towards them.

The vermin fired their weapons up to her but their bullets were useless as she swooped down, the bladed feathers on her wings slicing through a ferret's stomach with ease. The man fell to his knees as intestines and other innards fell from him. Looking up the ferret watched the crow come down once more, going for another low sweep with her wings spread out wide. His head rolled across the ground as her wing went through his neck.

The cat waved his pronged sword above his head as the vermin around him tried to bring the mad crow down with sparks and lead. Then as the bird flew up and turned for another deadly sweep he aimed one sword to her, a bolt of lightning leaping forth, cracking through the air and striking the veteran Black Wing down. With sapphire eyes he turned and faced the school, aiming his other sword to a fox that was running from the entrance with a saber in hand. Another bolt of lightning jumped forth, hitting and sending the other man back into the flaming building.

Disabling the two most dangerous creatures the cat marched ahead of all of the vermin with Gray by his side. With a turn of his head and a small nod the fox understood that their fun was now over. The fox took a step forward. "Alright ya rotten brats, get out here or burn to death!" The larger man boomed, his voice echoing through the woods and over the roar of the fire before him. He smiled when a pretty stoat maid came forth. But it quickly fell when he spotted the sapphire flames surrounding her hands and an notched arrow.

Osie raised her arrow as she took a single step forward. After seeing her love striked down with lighting all did not matter as she aimed for the Fate Eyed cat. And as her eyes turned a deep sapphire she released the arrow, sending a pillar of fire towards the two that stood out from the other vermin. No sooner had she done that did the fox run forward, jumping through the fire and past the arrow and aimed his spark launcher to her, firing a second later.

The stoat maid dropped her bow as she felt metal rip through her abdomen. Falling to her knees she struggled to stay conscious as darkness rushed in around her vision. The young woman swayed for a moment before the fox aimed at her again, pulling the trigger of his spark launcher, and then she saw no more…

Gray smiled as he watched the children rush out from the building and fall to their knees around the slain maid. Some even just rushing out with arms over their mouths and noses, the smoke now having become suffocating to their lungs. And then he felt an arrow fly through his shoulder with a full force of fire coming down after it…

The cat was quick to respond as he had seen the pillar of flames coming, and jumped to the fox. With his whole body he knocked the other man to the ground, saving him from turning into a crisped charcoaled body. The other vermin men then quickly aimed to where the flaming arrow had come from and all fired their spark launchers. A stoat of about seventeen years of age fell from the high window…

Gray shook off the cat that had saved his life and jumped back to his feet, holding his Spark Launcher at the ready, aiming at the school for any more hostility. Children off all vermin kind began to pour out from the building, but it quickly became apparent that the last slain beast was also the last of the resistance. With a shaking hand he lowered his weapon and turned to the cat.

"You're welcome." The cat remarked as he passed the fox and to the frenzy that was taking place as older versions of the children chased them down with nets and ropes. The cat then stuck both pronged bladed swords into the around and outstretched his hands in front of him.

"Cat?" Gray growled as the ever present cracking sound of lighting increased in the air.

A ball of what looked to be white fire began to form in between the cat's hands, his eyes turning a blinding white. "Gray, I would recommend you and your men step back." He warned as the fire between his hands grew. The slavers, seeing the cat's magic, rushed to the other side of the feline as quickly as they could, leaving what children they had captured behind. Frightened boys and girls ran to the woods as they tried to put distance between them and the terrifying magic the cat was performing. Once the fire had grown to the size of his chest Sichi released it in the direct of all the escaping children and the burning school. A blinding white light enveloped everything.

oOoO0OoOo

**Did you see that supernatural tag on this story? Did I forget to mention that in the previous chapter where the cat and Gray get into it? Yeah, magic, it's here, and lots of it. :D **

**This chapter took like all day for me to write! There was just so much, so much happening, and now that I'm done I don't think I really gave it the respect and care it deserved. What with all the magic and the lightning and everything else you'd think this thing would be twice as long as it is, but alas, I am a terrible writer when it comes to fighting and action… **

**That's one of the reasons I'm writing this story through! To learn how to properly write actions scenes, and there's going to be a lot of action scenes! Another big thing I'm finding out while I'm writing all of this action is the magic, and just how to describe it. Right now I bet many of you are left with very incomplete pictures when it comes to those parts. I apologize for that. Bear with me while I figure all these new territories out here. (And a couple more to come.) ;D **

**Well, 'till next time**

**Quaver**


	9. Shattered Memories

_In The Back of your Mind_

_Horrors and sorrow,  
Misery and Hurt  
Try as you might,  
They're there._

_They're there in the back of your mind! _

_Your love is gone.  
Your hands are red.  
Hate consumes you.  
Try as you might,  
To rid of it. _

_It's there in the back of your mind! _

_Burry it,  
Kill it,  
Destroy it,  
Get rid of it,  
Be rid of it,  
But the red is still there. _

_The red is there in the back of your mind! _

_Scream if you want,  
Howl to the moon,  
Cry to the floor,  
the pain and horror,  
Will never fade…_

_It'll be there in the back of your mind!_

_Ooh, the grief,  
The pain and sorrow,  
What a pitiful thing you've become,  
If only you could take it away,  
From the back of your mind…_

_But it's there,  
It'll always be there,  
Even if you forget…_

_It'll be there in the back of your mind! _

_oOoO0OoOo_

Shattered Memories

His eyes slowly drifted open to the light of day shining down from the thick Mossflower canopy above. Birds sang their songs, bringing music to his waking ears. He stayed like that for a minute, just looking up into the sky as if waking up in his bed on a lazy morning. In that moment there was nothing but music from the birds, calling to one another as spring drew them closer. He was then aware of the fresh air, its crispness mixing with that of the ash… wait. Ash?

With a groan the fox slowly sat up from his position on the ground. The first thing he noticed was the beasts around him. Two otters, two squirrels, a hedgehog, a hare, and finally a vixen, all spread out in a camp. The hedgehog, a chubby looking fellow, was the first one to notice his wakefulness. "Hey ya lumps, the fox's awake!" The hedgehog yelled to the others. It took a moment for everyone else to break away from their small little doings; sharpening knives, eating a meal, talking between one another. the fox was then aware of the building to his right. All sound ceased for just a moment as he stared at it, an eerie feeling creeping from his insides at the sight of so much ash and burnt wood.

"Hey Darlin', you're alright there?" asked a soft and kind voice. He turned away from the school to find himself looking into the dark brown eyes of an otter. She wore a traveling dress of tough durable material with her brown hair cut short around her small round ears. She gave him a warm smile as the others around the camp quickly fell on him, cautiously approaching. With a sudden face the otter turned and looked at them all. "You wanna let him have a little bit of space?" The woman snapped before looking back at him with the same kind and warm smile as before.

"Do you speak Woodland?" asked another pretty form, this time the vixen. She was a tamed bodied young lady in shape and fit for long travel. A tunic and trousers covered most of her average coat, but he did take note of the unique speckles on her forearms and hands where they should have been pure black for a red fox such as herself. Her hair was long and tied into a tight braid, pointy ears sticking out from the red locks as curious amber eyes observed him as he observed her.

Finding his voice then the fox spoke. "Yes." And in his head he found his answer to be quite lacking and lame… So he asked them the next question. "Who all you?" He said, looking to the two squirrels now. Both seemed to be warriors of some kind, each holding a steal blade on their hips. Aside from their shape he didn't notice any unique markings or traits that belonged to them. Both female and male looked to be very average squirrels. He might have thought they were related to one another, but caught the sight of a ring on the female's hand. Probably mates…

"Well young chap, we're just a group oh traveling friends is all. Found you all passed out like this mornin' didn't think ya wake up, wot!" answered the cheery tone of the hare. He looked over to the older man, taking note of the greying fur and wispy, but neatly cut, hair. His eyes stayed on the green and brown uniform that the hare wore before taking note of the curious marking on his shoulder. "I myself am Captain Tom Longfoot of the Long Patrol!" He stared at the hare with a blank look.

"I'm not sure I know what that is…" the fox muttered as he turned his gaze and looked at the final person of the group. The second otter was tall and handsome with a strong build and serious, but quiet, face. He stood a good couple of inches above everyone there with a long bow strapped to his back and a steel sword on his side. It took the fox a moment to then realize all of these beasts were armed with sabers. That is, all except the vixen who held a medium length stick with a strap on the end.

"You don't know what the Long Patrol is…" The hare muttered, obviously taken back by a beast that didn't know who the Long Patrol was.

The fox shook his head. "Nope, no idea. Are all of you apart of this Long Patrol?" He asked.

"Do ah look like a bleedin' hare?" The hedgehog remarked, rolling his eyes.

The fox looked at the man and smiled. Hedgehogs were one of the few beasts that breast fed their young but didn't have hair, their quills taking up most of their short bodies. Normally the prickly things were jovial characters, but the one in front of him held a serious and almost angered face. No, the face was pretty angry looking with his brows forward and his arms crossed… "No, I suppose not." He shrugged, looking away and at the hare instead. He seemed to hold an air of authority, but before he could ask the hare anything the vixen spoke instead.

"What happened here?" He looked at her, taking in her form again. She was attractive but held a sad look behind her wondering eyes.

Licking his canines then the fox turned his head in a sweeping gaze. "I'd like to ask yall the same thing." He said, taking in the looks they exchanged.

The hare narrowed his eyes at him in contemplation before kneeling down to his level. The fox raised an eyebrow as the uniformed beast scooted closer to him. "You do have a rather nasty wound on your head there, wot… Do you, do you know who you are sir?"

The fox blinked as he opened his mouth. "I'm!" He looked down to his legs, just now noticing the bandages that stuck out from large holes in his trousers. "I'm…" He repeated, looking at his hands now, turning them over and taking in the white material that covered them, albino fir surrounding the wrappings. "I'm…" He had been assessing these strangers so much he didn't think to look himself over or wonder just why he was in a place he didn't know… And those very same strangers looked on at him with grim and worried expression as he came to the realization that he didn't know who he was…

"Dahmnit, complete waste of time!" barked the hedgehog, turning away and stomping off.

"Zane!" yelled the female squirrel, going after him.

"Complete waste time? So you're not here exactly for my benefit, huh…" The fox muttered, giving a weak smile as he sadly looked up to them.

"You don't remember anything?" The hare had to ask again, a look of sympathy on his features. "Not even what happened here?" The fox simply shook his head as he looked around him. After another moment's pause he decided the ground and his tail had enough time to be together and went to stand up, the hare, no wait, Tom, that was his name, helped him up.

The fox then took an experimental step forward, wondering if his burnt legs would carry him proper. Burnt legs? How did he know he was burnt, they were covered in bandages… With a little hope going through him the fox walked away from the group of strangers, turning his head whichever way while they watched him. He looked at the steep hill that led down to the burned down building. The feeling of familiarity was starting to come to him, but nothing that helped him think of his name. Then he spotted the seven rows of ashes.

"Hold on Tava me gal, let him get his bearings." He heard the hare say behind his back, probably holding back one of the two women, the third having gone off to talk with the hedgehog. The hare then fell into a whispered conversation with his companion while the fox slowly walked over to the rows of ashes.

They were burial sites, each one with a crudely made wooden cross. Over time the wind and nature would take the ashes away, and the cross would fall apart, leaving the ground pure and ready for the next one who needed its use. Seven graves that belonged to four innocent children and three brave souls. The fox then blinked, trying to desperately grab at the tiny thought and see if it could lead to more, but as soon as it had come, it was gone. With a shake of his head he tried to look away but felt a pain in his heart as his eyes brushed across a single one. A name came to his thin lips then, but he knew it belonged to the individual that had perished in the chaos… "Osie." He said, his heart giving an ache of want. This was his home, and they were his family, that he was sure of.

The fox gave a sigh in that moment before turning away and taking in the remaining group. "Nothing." He finally replied, an apologetic and pitying look on his features. "I'm sorry, but nothing is really coming to me." He kept Osie's name from them, a strange protecting feeling lingering around that pretty sound.

"That's alright dear, you're awake and fine now, so that's all that really matters in the end." The lady otter assured him, her hands open in a friendly and welcoming gesture. He smiled at her then.

"The slavers had to have done this. Fox, I'm sorry but I don't have anything else to call you, but do you remember a cat? Or maybe a big grey fox, kinda bigger than Lucius here. Or perhaps even a deranged hare?" The vixen jumped, obviously tired of holding back questions. She was given looks by her fellow companions but ignored them all by taking a few steps towards him. He shook his head sadly at her. "Sapphire and ruby eyes, that's something you couldn't have forgotten. Blue fire. Anything?" The vixen's voice slowly turned into a whisper as he continued to shake his head. He watched in amazement as she went from looking desperate to on the verge of tears. What surprised him next was the cold unflinching expressions her companions shared when the vixen turned her back to them all and silently walked away.

He was then torn in that moment split from finding out what was wrong with the fellow fox, or finding out what in the world Slavers had to do with any of this. Giving the walking off vixen one last look, catching her as she was rubbing her arm across her eyes, he decided not to deal with this group's inner circle. That is, not yet. With a clench of his fist and a little digging of claws, the sharp feeling finishing his resolve, the fox took a step towards the hare and the remaining woodlanders.

"She said slavers… I'm thinking you know what happened more than I do." The fox said, tapping his bandaged head with two fingers. They exchanged looks amongst themselves before Tom, yes he remembered the hare's name, stepped forward. "Well Mr. Longfoot, what's going on and why don't I know m-." He stopped mid-sentence when his stomach voiced a growl in that moment…

The hare then gestured him over to sit next to a small camp fire that had been set up. Bags and other little things rested around cleared spots on the ground. The fox found himself a comfortable spot himself, one that hadn't been cleared and used his bushy tail to sweep away the twigs, leaves, and ash. Then he sat down, and looked at the hare. To his delight the remaining squirrel pulled a wrapped up bundle of some kind and tossed it to him. "Thank you stranger!" He then tore into the waxed paper, grinning when a small loaf of bread with little things baked into it appeared in his sight. A chunk was missing a second later as he ate into it.

It was the squirrel again who spoke. "Sir, we believe that you might have been a victim to a band of slavers that have been going through Mossflower." The warrior began, a serious and business like tone taking hold of him while the fox listened with attentive ears, but devoured the rations. "Our abbey, Redwall, has recently been… Victimized as well. There are slavers going around stealing children from all over Mossflower, and we think you might have been a part of this."

The fox pulled away from his meal, his stomach giving a yawning protest when he looked up to the squirrel. "So you're saying that I still have family, who could know who I am? But they've been taken by slavers?" He questioned, wanting to know if that was specifically what happened. They simply nodded their heads. With a curious face he looked down, wondering if he had had his memories if he would be feeling some kind of anger in this moment. But all that came forward was a curious want to just find the stolen and ask them who he was. But surely something would come forth before then, and he would feel anger then? Right? A new feeling of guilt boiled within as he thought of how he _should _be angered, or at least grieved, to hear that slavers took away his family. "So did they burn down your abbey as well?" He asked, wanting to pull his mind away from falling into a roundabout circle of confusion.

To his surprise it was the quiet and tall otter who spoke next, the man's voice deep and strong. "No, our children were taken away in the night by _her_." The otter finished his words with a raised arm and pointing off to the vixen. The fox looked to her with a confused expression. She was sitting by herself, her elbows to her knees and hands pressed to her face. The female's fingers reached up through her hair and pulled at her ears, again and again.

"She stole your children?" The fox repeated, finding the image of the miserable looking vixen taking away children almost ridiculous. "That girl looks like she's about ready have an emotional breakdown."

"She took thirty innocent souls and gave them to the slavers, in return for her family." Tom explained, holding a strange and light smile on his aging features when the fox turned around and looked at him. "But in the end, Tava, lost her mother and was left to die while they took away her brother and sister." The hare finished, his weak smile now looking sad and grim.

"Oh, I see…" The fox muttered, looking over at the vixen one more time. She had taken their children and given them away to monsters in exchange for her family, but there was no exchange. It explained their cold and grim faced expressions for when it came to the vixen. But here she was, now lightly crying in a ball of misery. "Are you forcing her to try and get your children back?" He asked, not even bothering to turn his head again, keeping his eyes on the other fox.

"No, she's staying with us all on her own accord." The hare said from behind.

The fox took another bite of his food then, eating through the baked in carrots and onions of his bread loaf. _Slavers, _He thought, _these folk are victims of slavers… I have no memory of who I am, and I'm looking at an emotionally distraught woman… Damn, this bread is good! _He forced himself to hold back a laugh at the dry humor. It was all so much to take in at once that he didn't know what to believe. What was in front of his eyes, a vixen crying to herself, or what these people had said, that she had committed such a horrible crime. It made sense in a roundabout way through. She was crying because she had done such a terrible act, guilt likely tearing her apart from the inside out. Which meant she was no evil doer, just someone pushed to desperation…

_The crow looked down at him as if studying him with a critical gaze. "Keeaaww, foxworm return thingies now!" _

"_B-but they hurt Osie if I not take them to them!" he had protested, holding the stolen tinkers and toys to his chest in a protective manner. _

"_Keeeaaaww! They no good, they bad students and be punished!" And then the crow was off, little flecks of flame going through the air as she went to hunt the other vermin children down. _

With a light gasp he grabbed at the shadowy memory, clutching onto it and thinking it over again and again. With his eyes closed he focused on the crow, picturing her black and sleek feathers. A feeling of protection surrounded the image, bringing a warm smile to his features. It was in that moment he knew if he was going to figure anything out he needed to be with these strangers. "Hey."

"Yes?" Asked the voice of the kind otter.

"You think yall will be fine with another fox tagging along?"

He heard a light laughter come from behind him, already answering his question before she said a word. "Of course, we'll need all the help we can get."

"Thank you." He said, looking across the ash covered clearing to the vixen. She was now looking at the strange and burned down building, prompting him to look as well. Together they stared at it for a long moment, space between them, as the wind blew across it, picking up ash as it took its course through the air…

oOoO0OoOo

**Been a little bit hasn't it? Well I did a small time pass where the group finds Quave unconscious and with no memories. And yes, I chose to go that route because one, I love that cleche, and two, amnesia is always a fun to write! :D **

**So how do you think I did for a first chapter with Quave having amnesia? I mean, did I get the emotions down; were the details satisfactory, how much did you enjoy this? I want to know, so leave comments and thoughts down yonder! **

**Quaver**

**P.S. I rewrote Ch. 54. The Tale of Vodge is now Vodge's Tale. **


	10. Fear and Hate

Fear and Hate

Lucy screamed out in pain as Vodge poked her with a red hot fork, heated by the camp fire. Her heart drummed in her small chest, her eyes full of fright as he snickered over her little form, her trying to crawl away. But it was a futile attempt because the chain that kept her prisoner was staked to the ground. "L-leave me alone, p-please." She begged, whimpering when the hare stepped over to her and went to poke her again. A whine was all that he received the second time as she closed her eyes and bit her tongue. If she didn't give him what he wanted he'd just go away, like he did the past seventy two times she was taken away on one of his personal periods. The hare poked her again, giggling at her whimpers.

Finally after what felt like forever the torture came to an end, the big grey fox calling them all to pick up and move out. Lucy kept herself from giving a sigh of relief as Vodge grumbled, taking her stake out from the ground and walking her over to her normal slave chain. Lakka looked at her with a somewhat sympathetic look as she was put back into her normal place. Vodge mumbled something else about just getting to have some fun before he led the few children under his care onward.

Lakka looked Lucy over, a grim expression on his features as she held back tears. For the week she had been captured and they had been slave partners he had watched her slowly break. He hated to admit it but he would rather have her as an annoying and overly innocent girl then what she was falling into now because it just wasn't, natural. The other kid didn't even bother to cry now as she trudged along. He bit the insides of his cheek at what he was about to do, partially because of his pride and partially because it could very much be too late… "Lucy." He lightly said, touching her shoulder in a comforting way.

She gave a small jump and whimper, looking behind her with fear filled eyes. Just a few days ago those eyes were filled with defiance. It was amazing just how quick someone could fall. She blinked finally recognizing him as Lakka instead of the hare that now filled all their nightmares. "Hey." Her voice said, distant and sore from days of crying. Both her arms and body were covered in bandages at the burns Vodge would leave, her legs covered in even more from the random cuts he would sneak in behind the other slaver's eyes. She forced a smile to come to her, trying hard to show him she wasn't completely broken quite yet.

Lakka returned the smile as he got a little closer to her. "Thank you." He said, trying hard not to laugh at his own words. She gave him a look before he continued. "I got to see Ella while you were off with Vodge." The fox explained, finding it hard to put just how much he was grateful for her for taking his place. It was a horrible and selfish thing to say really, but he wanted to at least tell her that something had come out from her pain. She gave him a weak smile then before looking ahead.

A silence fell over the two as they continued to walk through the woods. Lakka felt a little disappointed, hoping she would ask him how it went. It would have helped both of their morals, but there was only so much that one could do now with what they had to go through every day. Three slaves up he heard Cheesekiss yelp out in pain as Vodge struck again with a little prick of his knife. The fox had to look away from the hare in order not to watch him lick the rat's blood off of the blade. A shiver went through his spine at the thought of the slave that fell to disease. Sick slaves didn't live very long…

Finally after a long time Lucy's voice spoke up, making his head snap up at her words. "How's Ella?" She had asked, barely a whisper.

"Ella is OK. Her wrist was broken when the cat and Gray got into it, but she's doing fine now. The cat made a splint for her and has been taking care of her. We actually got to play a small game of sticks and leaves." He said, lightly cringing at his eagerness to share those little details. Wasn't he laughing at her for having a false hope when they met? That was also when she was putting it into his older sister… No, he shook his head of her image, he would not think about her, not now.

Lucy looked behind her at him with the weak smile that wasn't supposed to be there. "Sticks and leaves? How do you play that?"

Lakka smiled back at her as they continued walking. "Well it's a real simple game where you take a stick and see how many leaves you can get on it."

"Oh… That sounds… Nice." Lucy said, her voice barely a whisper. He remembered how a few days ago it was a higher pitch and way to energetic for their situations, but now she sounded tired, beat, and far older than when he first met her. He blinked then as she turned away and continued to walk on, suddenly finding her defeat exasperating. He had been with the slavers for months on end and here was someone so arrogant as to give up so easily! He took in a breath and made to reach for her shoulder, the distance between them less than three feet. But as quickly as the ire rose in his chest he looked at the back of her head before pursing his lips and lowering his arm.

No, he shouldn't blame her, he couldn't, because he had seen many slaves fall into the hole she was going down. Once there, there was almost no hope left. And it was OK to have no hope in a hopeless situation… "Arrg!" His line of thought was cut off when he heard a girl scream. His eyes rose up from having drifted down to his feet, blinking as he felt life return to his body as his heart beat in his chest. "Touch me one more time and I'll bite your damn fingers off!" yelled the rat girl from Redwall, still filled with fire and determination. He smiled then, because if there was someone with hope, it was her.

"Oh Codger, come now me boy, you gotta trade the slave with me!" Vodge's voice called out as he approached the ferret. Lakka watched in anticipation as the ferret stood rigid in his spot.

"No. Gray and the cat say you've already got a Redwaller. I'm not allow-Nn-I mean I _won't _give you any'un of 'em!" The ferret said, puffing up his chest at the taller man.

Vodge stopped at this show of defiance to him before turning his head one way and then the next. Slavers stopped their slave trains to watch what the hare might do to the daring ferret. There was a tense moment as Vodge raised his knife towards Codger, hovering near his chest. Everyone watched as the ferret lightly squirmed in his place, but still stood his ground against the hare. It was broken a second later when Vodge began to laugh. "Codger boy, you're growin' up, wot! Oh joy to the world!" The vermin laughed, clapping his hands in a demented manner before snapping around to everyone else. "What are you bleedin' mucks gawkin' at? Get your bally tails movin' wot!"

And they moved…

oO0Oo

That night they set up camp. Siva watched from her place next to Zach as the hare went about checking all the slave's stakes. She waited for him to come to their chain, almost eager for him to get near her. Hate boiled inside of her as he came closer, a snarl on her features. She struggled to keep her fur from standing on end and relax her shoulders. If the hare saw her tensing so he would be suspicious and not pay her the visit that she was prepared for this night.

For several days she had witnessed things that weren't supposed to be; Things that were terrible, horrible, things that turned her guts inside out. The hare was the worst of the slavers but he wasn't the only one. Many of the band were cruel and sadistic creatures that made everyone miserable. She shook as the image of Lucy came back to her. When she had seen the squirrel maid for the first time the other girl had fell into a horrible fit of tears, almost hysterical. She had never seen Lucy like that, ever. She forced herself to take in a breath and not shake…

The sharpened stone rolled in her hand then, keeping her mind from relapsing back onto the horrible memories and feelings of the past couple of days. Zach had warned her and whispered to her every time she pulled out the rock and secretly sharpened it a little more. It now had a beautiful jagged edge to it that would cut open a beast's neck just perfectly. A snicker ran through her head as she realized just how much of a vermin she truly was.

The hare came closer to her then, a stupid grin across his stupid face with his stupid gate. He knelt down where her brother was using some kind of key to make sure the stakes were locked into the ground properly. Each stake had spikes that would shoot out into the surrounding dirt, like roots on a tree, keeping any slave from pulling it up. As she thought the hare made to walk to her, coming down the line, his eyes right onto her. She crossed her arms, glaring at him as he took a step closer. All she needed was for him to come within jumping distance and his neck would be hers.

"'Ello _rat_, how are you doing this fine night? I hope you're nice and comfy with all your friends and buddies here. Wouldn't want to do something that would get you taken away would you, wot?" The hare said, his imprudent voice grinding on her nerves. She waited for him to take a few more steps closer to her. Ha, perhaps he would even do her the favor to try and knick her with his knife! "What are you smiling at?"

Siva lightly laughed at him then. "Oh I'm just smiling at your _face_ is all. Did you know you got a small scar around your eye? Someone punch you a little too hard there or somethin'?" She hoped that little observation would infuriate the hare. But instead a hungered look came to his eyes.

"Why you're so attentive there _rat_, and yes, some'un did hit me rather hard there. Not sure if T'was my sister or one of those _tender_ little leverets that did it. Any'who, they didn't get away with it." The hare finished, giving her a wink as he knelt down in front of her just a pace away. But still not close enough for a clean cut… "You want to be a little more observant? Want me to get a little _closer_?" He said, the hunger in his eyes increasing as he took an inch towards her.

She furrowed her brows even deeper as her breath increased. Her heart began to drum in her chest as she struggled to keep the rock from his view, just holding it right where it would look like she casually had her fingers in a relaxing curl. Her whiskers gave a twitch as she hyper focused in on the hare's dark hunger filled eyes. The world slowly dissolved away, turning into a black. All that was, was her and the vermin hare, her rock and the vein that pulsed in his neck. Her wild eyes and his evil ones… Slowly she felt her muscles tensing, preparing for the jump.

"Hey!" Called a voice from a distance, making her and the hare both blink in surprise as they returned to the world. Breaking their stare down, they looked to her left where Zach had always been. He gave the hare a glare before turning his eyes to her with a worried expression for just a moment. He looked at her for a second, making sure he had pulled her out of her trance, before returning his gaze to the hare. "Don't ya have other slaves ta bother? Or mahybe talk to that cat or Gray?"

Vodge blinked as a smile returned on his features, having temporally slipped away during the stare down he had with the rat child. With a little snicker he reached out and patted Zach's head. Siva kept herself from shaking as the hare touched her spiky friend before he stood up. "Why thank ya you blighten' little boy, I do have other slaves ta bother. Specifically a certain squirrel, wot." He said, sending Siva a wink. Her fingers tightened around the sharpened stone as her arm began to shake. He laughed as he turned and walked away.

"Siva…" Zach called as she watched the vermin distance himself from her, her teeth clenching as the angered flooded through her veins. "Siva." He said again, this time touching her shoulder as the hare walked away some more. "Siva." The hedgehog said one more time, giving her a light shake. "Damnit ya're bleedin'!" he whispered giving her a push that finally brought her eyes away from the hare and down to the stone in her hand, blood trickling out between her fingers. "Are you insane?!" his voice rasped, him giving her another shake and making her look into his eyes.

Siva relaxed her grip, taking in a breath as the stone left her skin. She put the rock to the ground and turned her palm up to her eyes. Crimson liquid welled up from her cut hand pads, dripping from her hands down to the dirt bellow. She let it bleed for just a moment longer, her eyes focusing on the beautiful life fluid as it left her at will. Zach was saying something and shaking her shoulder but she didn't break away this time, captured by the sight of her blood. Finally her hand was closed by her friend, prompting her to look up into his eyes once again. This time there was no concern or worry but fear. Fear for her as she looked back to her closed hand, watching as she continued to bleed. "I'll kill him, Zach. I'll kill him…"

And the hedgehog let go of her hand, backing away as he watched his friend fall into a dark abyss.

oOoO0OoOo

**Back to Lucy and Siva! This chapter is to represent the feelings of fear, Lucy, and hate, Siva. **


End file.
